interceptor

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An interceptor is a person or thing that catches and stops something from happening. A missile can also be an interceptor.

When we talk about interceptors, we often think of military planes or ships that are sent to stop enemy aircraft or missiles from reaching their target. The US Air Force has F-15 Eagle fighter jets that are used as interceptors to defend against incoming threats. But the word is not limited to just defense; it can also be a concept in computer science where an interceptor is a program that stops something, like malware, from spreading. For example, firewalls and antivirus software act as interceptors to block malicious code from reaching your device.

How common is "interceptor"?

Word interceptor is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

Anything that intercepts something else.
A fast, maneuverable fighter aircraft designed to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft before they can attack.
A guided missile designed to intercept and destroy enemy missiles.
A device to trap, remove, or separate deleterious, hazardous, or undesirable matter (such as oil, grease, gasoline, sand, and sediment) from normal waste conveyed through it, permitting normal sewage or liquid wastes to discharge into the disposal terminal by gravity.
A hook routine that intercepts normal program flow to carry out a task.
A sewer which intercepts sewerage destined for an outfall (e.g. into a river) and redirects it to sewerage treatment plant

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Real examples of "interceptor" in context

Pirates of the Caribbean

Movie part

Sailors, back to the interceptor! Now!

2:18

interceptor

How common is "interceptor"?

noun

Real examples of "interceptor" in context

Pirates of the Caribbean

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